[nagdu] How would you respond?

[Lyn Gwizdak]

Interesting, this discussion about a guide dog attacking another.  Yeah, it 
happens.

I had to have a dog change while at school four days into the program 
because the dog I got started to attack the other dogs - and in front of the 
trainers!  There was no provocation whatsoever that the trainer could see. 
Then I was told that the dog attacked another returning pup in the car when 
they were bringing her in to train as a guide.  They thought they resolved 
the problem but they didn't.  I was issued another dog and the other dog was 
retired from the program and placed in a pet home without any other dogs. 
So, sometimes we don't know the cause.

I did know another guide dog that did try to attack other guide dogs if we 
got too close to the team.  I did hear that sometimes dogs develope anxiety 
and extreme discomfort in being approached by another dog while it is in 
harness and leash.  the dog feels volnerable and feels unsafe and wants to 
defend itself - a kind of "I'll hurt you before you can hurt me" type of 
thing.  Off leash, that same dog would play with other dogs.

I have seen these kinds of things over my long time involvement around guide 
dogs and handlers. You see all types.  Sometimes it has to do with a 
handler's bad skills and sometimes not - it can be a problem with the dog. 
What matters is that the issue is resolved in some way before someone gets 
hurt - dog or human.

I think people are reacting as they are on this issue because, frankly, it 
scares the crap out of you when you're walking peacefully down the street or 
are in a place of business and all of a sudden a loud growl, snarls, vicious 
barking and and attacking dog on top of yours.  I've been there.  I do get 
nervoous when I have to pass a strange dog that is within biting distance 
from me.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 5:57 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] How would you respond?


>I think the first response from me as a handler in that situation would be
> to file all appropriate police reports for a dog attack. I'd also contact 
> my
> own school right away for help with any behaviors. I would probably 
> contact
> the school from which the other dog came, but making them responsible for
> all legal bills would depend on who owned the dog. Remember, if we have 
> full
> ownership, we are responsible for things like this. I suppose an
> enterprising lawyer could also find fault and go after the school, but
> initially, it's the handler who is responsible, accidental or not.
>
> As the service provider, I'd have a policy that mirrors the ADA by stating
> that any dog who causes such an incident, with defined parameters, may be
> banned from the facility. Doesn't mean you bar the handler, just the dog. 
> If
> it's a residential facility, so be it. Same thing could legally happen in 
> a
> hotel if a dog attacked a guest or staff person.
>
> It's really no one's business if the offending handler gets another dog or
> not, unless of course it can be proven that he or she caused this behavior
> in multiple dogs.
>
> The whole situation is very unfortunate for all involved. I'd be really
> curious to see what the service provider does in this case.
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
>
>
>
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